We Asked 3 Interior Designers: What’s the Best Refrigerator?
Six designer-approved picks, from customizable to compact.
Published Sep 8, 2021 3:00 AM
Buying a new refrigerator is no small task—and no small purchase. When you’re looking at spending (potentially) thousands of dollars, you want to be assured you’re making a good investment for your home that will be problem-free for years to come. And if it looks good, too? All the better.
Not only do you want the best refrigerator for your needs, it must fit into however many square feet you’re working with (that is, unfortunately, nonnegotiable) and hopefully fit in seamlessly with your kitchen design as well. And then there are countless other features to consider. Do you want the freezer on the top, bottom, or side? Should you customize your fridge to match your cabinets? And how do you feel about ice machines? Water dispensers? Climate-controlled drawers? How about an LED touch-screen display with WiFi so you can stream music while looking up an Alison Roman recipe?
So many decisions. To help narrow the options, we tapped a few top interior designers—Leanne Ford, Kim Armstrong, and Jessica Davis—for their favorites.
- Best overall: Sub-Zero Classic French Door Refrigerator/Freezer
- Best value: Galanz Top Freezer Retro Refrigerator
- Best high-tech: Miele Mastercool Fridge-Freezer
- Best slim style: Smeg Retro-Style Refrigerator
- Best customizable: Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator
- Best high-end: Monogram Smart Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator
- Best energy efficient: Café French-Door Refrigerator
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Types of refrigerators: There are four common configurations of refrigerators: top freezer, French door, bottom freezer, and side-by-side. Generally top freezers are the most affordable (and most nostalgic, since Grandma likely had one, plus most efficient, since the compressor that generates heat is located under the unit, and it takes more energy to keep a bottom freezer, well, freezing). French door refrigerators are oftentimes the most expensive but come with the most benefits—primarily wide, adjustable shelves and good lighting. Bottom freezers have many of the advantages of a French door refrigerator, and come with a slightly less heart-stopping price tag. Finally, side-by-sides allow you to have more items at eye level, but the shelves generally aren’t very wide, so family-size frozen pizzas might not fit.
Size and capacity: Measure, then measure again, and measure everything: depth, height, width, and clearance for the doors; you don’t want to hit the island every time you reach for a LaCroix. Build in at least an inch around the entire refrigerator for ventilation, too. And since refrigerators don’t magically appear in your kitchen, you’ll also want to measure doorways and other obstacles that your fridge may run into during delivery. (Can you hear Ross from Friends yelling “pivot”?) As for capacity, generally 19- to 22 cubic feet comfortably fits enough food for a family of four.
Energy efficiency: To keep your utility bills in check—and, more important, to be kinder to Mother Nature—select a refrigerator certified under the Energy Star program. Those fridges are about 9 percent more efficient than models that meet the federal minimum energy efficiency standard. To illustrate: Say your refrigerator lives 12 years. In that time, you’ll have avoided your carbon footprint by 4,900 pounds of CO2.
Features: Is an ice maker important to you? What about through-the-door filtered water? Or adjustable shelves that allow you to properly organize your fridge, squeezing in a slim sheet cake and multiple bottles of Reisling? Refrigerators do so much more than, well, refrigerate, so consider what’s most important to you, features-wise.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall: Sub-Zero Classic French Door Refrigerator/Freezer

Davis agrees, noting Sub-Zero’s dual compressor design and patented vacuum seal system. “The products are built on the idea that monitoring temperature and humidity and circulating fresh air prolongs the life of your food, and they do just that,” she says.
Best Value: Galanz Top Freezer Retro Refrigerator

Best High-Tech: Miele Mastercool Fridge-Freezer

Best Slim Style: Smeg Retro-Style Refrigerator

Best Customizable: Samsung Bespoke Refrigerator

Best High-End: Monogram Smart Built-In Side-by-Side Refrigerator

Best Energy Efficient: Café French-Door Refrigerator

Our Top 3 Tips for Buying a Refrigerator
- While you can start the fridge shopping process online, it’s best to see the model you have your heart set on in person before committing, so you can get a feel for its size and features, like how smooth the drawers pull.
- If you’re in the market for a deal, shop for a fridge during a holiday appliance sale, oftentimes around Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Black Friday.
- Get the extended warranty. Most refrigerator issues occur within the first four years of owning a fridge, past a general warranty.
The Last Word
Now that you’ve decided whether or not you want a water dispenser, where you want the freezer located, and how many cubic feet you’ll need to properly store your collection of cheeses, you can be on your merry way to the appliance store. Remember: A refrigerator is an investment for your home, the earth, and your wallet. Choose thoughtfully.
How We Vetted These Products
Every product in a Domino guide meets these criteria:
- They blend form and function. We believe the best-designed products reflect your personal style and are a joy to use.
- They’re expert approved. In addition to our team of editors, we tap a range of designers, makers, renovators, and all-around knowledgeable people to share their intel.
- They’re endorsed by people who actually own them. We pay close attention to real reviews to know that they pass the test IRL.
Domino’s editors independently curate every product on our site, because we’re just as obsessed with a great deal and an under-the-radar discovery as you are. Items you purchase may earn us an affiliate commission.